What Good Is It?

"If I speak with human eloquence and angelic ecstasy but don't love, I'm nothing but the creaking of a rusty gate. If I speak God's Word with power, revealing all His mysteries and making everything plain as day, and if I have faith that says to a mountain, "Jump," and it jumps, but I don't love, I'm nothing. If I give everything I own to the poor and even go to the stake to be burned as a martyr, but I don't love, I've gotten nowhere. So, no matter what I say, what I believe, and what I do, I'm bankrupt without love."

I Corinthians 13:1-3

The Message

What good is it, really?  In other words, if I have the ability to influence people by my speech or I have the skills of a world-class athlete, but I don't treat those around me properly, I am nothing.  If I have the opportunity to travel the world and "minister", but I disregard those who have been placed in my life, it is of no value. 

Relationship is everything. 

The words of MY coach ring in my head almost daily - "If you are a Christian, you are in full-time ministry."    It's not a profession.  It's not a way to get rock star status within my circle of influence.  It's not reserved only for those whose place of employment is a church or religious affiliated organization.  It's a mandate required of each who has surrendered his or her life to Jesus Christ!! 

If you are a Christian, YOUR LIFE is full-time ministry, regardless of what it is that you call your profession or from whom you receive a paycheck.  If you are a house painter, then paint with love.  If you work at McDonald's, then serve people as unto the Lord and share Him with your co-workers.  If you are a homemaker and raising young children, then share Christ with those around you and love your children into becoming exactly what He created them to be.  If you are a teacher, your LOVE for your students will go further than any piece of book knowledge you get them to remember.  If you are a coach, research proves you hold THE most powerful place of influence in the life of that young person - hold it wisely, it is a delicate place of influence.  If you are a successful business executive, then find a cause bigger than yourself or your company and serve someone else - and by all means, love the "little guy" that makes your company function day to day so that YOU can make the big bucks!

It is ALL about relationship, and it is relationship that will lead others to the foot of the cross.  If I become amazingly successful at building, at expanding, at increasing, at communicating, at being a visionary, but I have not love, respect or regard for those in my life, especially for those who I perceive to be "under" me - it means nothing.

If my ministry organization reaches the world and allows me to travel to foreign lands to do all kinds of good for people, but I become more focused on traveling to foreign lands to do all kinds of good for people than on the PEOPLE......it becomes nothing more than a show, and that's a waste. 

No matter what I say, what I believe or what I do - I'm bankrupt without love.  God, spare me please.

It's all about relationship!!